Manure speeadeb



(No Model.)

I K T A W H MANURE SPREADER.

No. 374,134. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

INVENTOH i m l l l m l l-flu f 1 W ATTO H N EYS 7 Sheets Sheet 2 (No Model.) I

H. WATKINS.

MANURE SPREADER.

Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

,@'/Q,,W@@QW (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

H. WATKINS.

v MANURE SPREADER. No. 374,134. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

INVENTUH ATTORNEYS N4 PETERs PholwLithogmpher. Wnhin tun, D C.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

H. WATKINS.

MANURE SPREADER.

'No. 374,134. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.-

V ...i.... q. b

(No Model.)

7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

H. WATKINS.

MANURE SPREADER.

No. 374,134. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

' INVENTUR v ATTUHNEYQ WITNESSES:

7 Sheets-Sheet. t6.

(No Model.)

H. WATKINS. MANURE SPREADER.

Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

INVENTOR:

. WT x WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 7 shefs she'et 7.

I H. WATKINS.

MANURE SPREADER. No. 374,134. Patented Nov. 29, 1887.

@ VJL WlTNESSESI I a 7 lNVENTUR 25%. I $37 I ATTORNEYS IL mills, flown WM, D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY WATKINS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO A. L. JOHNSON, TRUSTEE.

MANURE-SPREADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 374,134, dated November 29, 1887.

Ap lication filed March 23, 1887. Serial No.232,062.

machine, whereby the same is rendered more efficient and more convenient in its operation, all ashereinafterfully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein Figures 1 and 2 are elevations taken at opposite sides of the machine, minor parts thereof being broken away to better illustrate the invention. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is the rear end elevation; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on lines 00 m,- Fig. 1, with a portion of the traveling floor broken away to illustrate the subjacent mechanisms. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views ofthetrain ofgears which transmit motion with adjustable speeds from the main counter shaft to the supplemental counter-shaft, said views being taken in planes at right angles to each other. Fig. Sis a transverse section on line y y, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section on lines ac, Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail View of the eccentric box which carries the forward end ofthe sup plemental counter-shaft. Fig. 11 is a detail view of the bracket which carries the adj ustable journal-box of the beater. Fig. 12 is a face view of the ratchet-face on the hub of the traction-wheel. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section of the hub of the traction-wheel, hub of the power-transmitting wheel, and the clutch of the machine.

for connecting said parts. Fig. 14 is a vertical transverse section of one side of the body Fig. 15 is an enlarged detached face view of the beater. Fig. 1G is an enlarged plan view of the end portion of the vibratory comb. Fig. 17 is an end view ofthesame. Fig. 18 is a transverse section of the (No mo .lcl.)

same. Fig. 19 is an enlarged detached side view of a section of the traveling floor. Fig. 20 is a detail view of the attachment of the gearwheel and sprocket-wheel for driving the beater; and Fig. 21 is a detached face view of the beater, illustrating the diagonal arrangement of the teeth from the center of the beater toward the side portions thereof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

B represents the body of the machine, which is carried at its forward end on the bolster B, mounted on an arched axle, A, having journaled thereon carryingwheels W V, which are of a diameter to allow them to pass under the body B, and thus allow the axle to be cramped sufficiently to permit the machine to be turned about conveniently and within a small space. The rear'portion of the body B is carried on the main driving-axle A,which has the trae tion-wheels \V \V mounted loosely thereon.

Across the front portion of the body Bis arranged a horizontal shaft, D, journaled in suitable bearings secured to the body and pro jecting with one of its ends from the exterior of the body. To the said shaft is rigidly secured the floor-propelling wheel E, consisting of a sprocket-wheel, which is arranged in line with the longitudinal center of the body B.

Across the rear end of the body Bis arranged another horizontal shaft,D,journaled in brackets rigidly secured to the frame of the body. To this latter shaft is firmly secured a spider or rimless idler, H, and over said idler and the sprocket-wheel E, at the front end of the machine, runs an endless chain, F, to about one-half of the length of which chain is secured the traveling floor G, consisting of a series of transverse slats arranged contiguously edge to edge. By placing the floor-propelling wheel at the front end of the machine I amenabled to employ the aforesaid rimless idler at the rear or discharge end of the machine. This idler obviates the danger of catching hard substances between it and the floor the latter.

One of the features of novelty of my invention consists in the peculiar construction of this traveling floor. The aforesaid slats of the floor I bevel or form rounding along the longitudinal edges from the bottom up and secure and straining the endless chain F across the top of the said slats and with the joints of the chain directly over the joints between the slats, thereby rendering the floor practically tight, and yet allowing the same to travel freely over the idler H without danger of binding or straining the slats, or opening the joints between them while traveling over the said idler.

The traveling floor G receives motion from the main driving-axle A by the following mechanism: To the outer end of the shaft D, I attach a worm-wheel, I, and the inner side of the hub of the traction-wheel WV at the same side of the machine I provide with an annular ratchet-face, a. Between the said hub and the side of the body B, I firmly secure to the driving axle A a bevel-gear, L, the hub of' which has apertures or ways extending through it parallel with the aforesaid axle, and on the rearward extension of the hub of said bevelgear slides a clutchcollar, b, which has rigidly secured to it pins 0 c, which project through the ways of the bevel'gear and are adapted to engage the ratchet-face of the traction-wheel W, hereinbefore referred to. The described clutch is held normally and yieldingly in engagement with the ratchet-face a by means of a spring-plate, d, which is at one end secured to the outside of the body B, and has its op po'site end bifurcated and astride the grooved portion of the hub of the clutch-collar, as best seen in Figs. 4 and 13 of the drawings.

In the bevel-gear L meshes a pinion, e, which is secured to the rear end of a counter-shaft, 'O,extending part way towardthe front end of the machine and journaled in suitable hangers,ff, attached to the body B, as shown in Fig. 1- of the drawings. On the forward end of the said counter-shaft, which I preferably form square or angular in cross section, I loosely mount a cone of gears, 1 2 3,which are adapted to be shifted'longitudinally on said shaft. A supplemental counter-shaft, O, is arranged above the counter-shaft O, and extended from the latter to the front end of the machine. To the rear end of the supplemental countershaft I detachably connect the pinion 5, preferably by forming said end of the shaft square or angular in cross-section, and providing the pinion with a corresponding eye, by which it is slipped onto the shaft, and is retained thereon bya nut, 11, applied to a screwthreaded end portion of the shaft. Onto the square or angular portion of the aforesaid shaft is also fitted a journal having a corresponding axial eye, which journal is mounted in the journal-box N, firmly secured to the body B.

On a portion of thejournal 6, between the box N and pinion 5, is hinged a hand-lever, 7, which is extended below the supplemental counter-shaft O, and has pivoted on its lower end an intermediate gear, 4, which meshes in the pinion 5, and is made to engage one of the gears of the cone 1 2 3 on the counter-shaft O. The intermediate gear is detachably connected to the lever 7, and is interchangeable with the pinion 5, and thus the velocity of motion of the supplemental counter-shaft O can be varied as may be desired. By swinging the lever 7 on its pivot the intermediate gear, 4, can be carried a greater or less distance from the counter-shaft O, to allow the cone of gears l 2 3 to be shifted longitudinally on the countershaft 0, so asto bring eithera larger or smaller gear of said cone into engagement with the intermediate gear, 4, and thus further regulate the motion of the supplemental counter-shaft O, as maybe desired. The intermediate gear, 4, is mounted simply on a stud-pin projecting from the side of the lever 7, and said gear and the cone of gears 1 2 3 are retained in their respective positions by means of a flange, O, on the rear face of the pinion 5, engaging the rear face of the intermediate gear, 4, and a flange on the front face of the intermediate gear entering a circumferential groove, 0, between the steps of the cone of gears, as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The forward end of the supplemental counter-shaft O is carried in the eccentric journal-box 9, mounted on a suitable bearing, g, rigidly secured to the side of the bodyB, the arrangement of the said eccentric journal-box being more fully illustrated in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

To the front end of the supplemental countershaft is firmly secured the worm 10, which is adapted to mesh in the wornrwheel I on the outer end of the floor-propelling shaft D.

The aforesaid eccentric journal-box has affixed to it the hand-lever 8,by which to turn it on the shaft and in its bearing and by so turning the said journal box the front end of the supplemental counter-shaft Ois raised and lowered, so as to throw the worm 10 out of and into engagement with the wormwheel I. Oonsequently,by the manipulation of the lever 8,the motion of the traveling floor G can be stopped and started at will of the operator. By disengaging the worm and turning the crank j the floor can be retracted when required. a r

The automatic stopping of the motion of the floor G is effected by other devices, hereinafter described, and when thus stopped the engagement of the worm 10 with the wormwheel I serves to lock the floor, so as to prevent it from being moved longitudinally by the jars received from theinachine while travcling to and from the field.

At the opposite side of the machine I rigidly secure between the traction-wheel NV and the side of the body B a sprocket-wheel, P,which is provided with ways similar to those of the bevel-gear L on the opposite end of the axle, through which ways project pins 0 c, secured to a clutch-collar, b, and adapted to engage an annular ratchet-face, a, on the inner side of the hub of the traction-wheel. This clutch is held in engagement with the said ratchet-face by a spring, d, in the same manner as the clutch b c at the opposite end of the axle is held in engagement with the ratchet-face of a the drawings.

the adjacenttraction-wheel, as hereinbefore described. The teeth of the aforesaid ratchetfaces are pitched so as to interlock with the clutch-pins c c, and thus transmit motion to the maindriving-axle A, through the medium of the sprocket-wheel P and bevel-gear L, when the traction-wheels are in their forward motion, and in the back motion of thetractionwheel the clutch-pins c c are allowed to freely slip over the teeth of the ratchet-faces a. a. Consequently the traction-wheels are allowed to turn at different speeds and the machine can be easily turned about when required.

R represents the so-called beater, which is arranged across the rear end of the body to distribute therefrom the fertilizer carried thereto by the traveling floor G. Hitherto and require undue amount of power to operate them, owing chiefly to the direction in which the beater is operated on the fertilizer brought in contact therewith. The presentation of the large convex face of the heater to the approaching fertilizer or manure caused a great portion of the latter to be cast forward, or in opposition to the movement of the traveling floor, and compelled a large portion of the beater'to drag through the manure without casting the same over the rear end of the machine. To obviate this defect, I now employ two horizontal shafts arranged one above the other and horizontally across the rear end of the body B, and supported in hearings on standards S S, firmly secured to the body. To opposite ends of the upper shaft I rigidly attach sprocket-wheels T T, and to the corresponding ends of the lower shaft Isecure rollers T T, and over said sprocket-wheels and rollers are run endless driving-chains U U, to which are secured transverse slats V, armed with spikes or teeth 7t 71. A beater thus constructed presents to the approaching fertilizer an approximately vertical face, and 'thus obtains a more effective hold on the fertilizer,and is better adapted to cast the same rearward from the body.

In order to guard against the clogging of the beater by the fertilizer adhering to the teeth h h, I form said teeth either triangular in cross-section or other suitable shape, so that each tooth shall present a flat face in the direction in which the beater moves, and have sharp edges at opposite sides of said flat face and its rear portion beveled, as illustrated in Fig. 15 of the drawings.

To produce a more uniform distribution of the fertilizer, I set the teeth of the beater singly in rows running diagonally or spirally from the central portion toward the side portions of the beater, as best seen in Fig. 21 of Inasmuch as the machine is required to travel over plowed and uneven ground, the

different shaftings of the machine are liable to be thrown out of line and become bound in their bearings by the torsional strain exerted on the machine during its aforesaid travel. To guard againstthe strain on the aforesaid shaftings,I mount the upper shaft of the beater R in self-adjusting bearings i i, said bearings consisting of journal-boxes supported by setscrews ZZ, adj ustably secured to the standards S S and bearing against opposite sides of the journal'boxes, as shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings, said journal-boxes being thus supported yieldinglyin their axial alignment, and allowing the shaft to accommodate itself to the torsional strain on the body. The beater receives its motion by a pinion, m, secured to one end of the upper shaft of the beater and meshing in the gear-wheel m, mounted ona gudgeon detachably secured to the bracket S. Said gear;wheel has rigidly secured to its side a sprocket-wheel, n, and to the driving-axle Ais rigidly attached asprocket-wheel, P, hereinbefore referred to, which is connected with the sprocket-wheel n by a driving-chain, r.

In order to automatically stop the motion of the traveling floor G and heater R simultaneously when the end-board M comes in proximity to the beater, I pivot to the bottom of the body B two levers, p p, which are connected at one end, respectively, with the two clutches b b by rods q q, as illustrated .in Fig. 5 of the drawings. To the opposite ends of the aforesaid levers are connected toggles p p, which in turn are connected to a longitudinal sliding bar, s,whieh is under a constant strain toward the front of the machinebya spring,s. Along the side of the bar sis arranged an other longitudinal sliding bar or plunger, t, which is likewise underconstant strain toward the front of the machine by a spiral spring, 1, interposed between a stop, at, attached to the bar and a guide, a, which is attached to the body and has the rear end of the said bar running through it. The forward end of the bar t is connected with a latch, 12, which is pivoted to the body B and adapted to engage a catch or pin, 1), on the bar 8.

To the front end of the traveling floor G, I secure a downward-projecting catch, to, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, which catch is adapted to engage the stop it on the plunger it during the approach of the front end of the floor to the beater R. The aforesaid e11- gagement of the catch 20 with the plunger causes the latter to be drawn rearward, and thereby throws the latch 12 out of engagement with the catch 22' on the bar 8. The latter,being thus released, is drawn forward by the spring 8, and thereby actuates the toggles p p and levers p 1), so as to draw the clutches b I) out of engagement with the ratchet-faces a a of the tractionwheels W V, and consequently said traction-wheels are allowed to rotate freely on their axle without imparting motion to either floor G or heater R.

IIO

0 represents the vibratory eomb,or so-ealled comb-board, arranged across the top of the body and reaching with the free ends of its teeth t t toward the upper portion of the beater B, so as to guard against excessive discharge of the fertilizer. The back (3 of the comb consists of a cross-bar mounted at its ends on brackets 12, secured to the top of the body B, and locked in its position by a latch, 13, connected to one of the brackets and engaging a lug, 14, on the end of the comb-baek.

In order to enable the teeth 25 to yieldindependently of each other, and thus render the comb more efficient in its operation, I form the said teeth of flat steel bars disposed with their fiat sides in aplane parallel with the aforesaid comb-back or cross-bar. I simplify the at tachment of said teeth to the comb-back by providing the latter with a longitudinal slot, 15, extending from end to end thereof, and into this slot I insert flatwise the attaching ends of the teeth,and by rivets 16,passing transversely through the slotted portion of the comb-back, and, if desired, also through the end portions of the teeth, and upset on their ends, the aforesaid portion of the comb-back is clamped onto the ends of the teeth, as illustrated in Figs. 16, 17, and 18 of the drawings.

Having described my in vention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A traveling floor composed of transverse slats coupled together at their longitudinal edges by a chain or belt running across the top of said slats and secured thereto, as set forth.

2. A traveling floor composed of transverse slats coupled together at their longitudinal edges, and having said edges beveled or rounded from the bottom, as set forth.

3. A traveling floor composed of transverse slats coupled together by a chain or belt running across the top of said slats, and the 1ongitudinal edges of the slats beveled or rounded from the bottom.

4. In a fertilizerdistributer, the Within-(l6- scribed beater, consisting of a traveling endless apron armed with teeth, as set forth.

5. I11 a fertilizer-distributer, the combination, with the traveling floor, of a beater consisting of a traveling endless apron armedwith teeth and arranged withits front portion at an angle to the plane of the aforesaid floor, as set forth and shown.

6. In combination with the body and traveling floor, two horizontal rotary shafts arranged one above the other and above the traveling floor at the rear end of the body, sprocket-wheels or chain-wheels secured to said shafts, endless chains or belts carried on said wheels, slats secured tosaid chains or belts, and teeth projecting from the slats, substantially as described and shown.

7. In combination with the traveling floor, a beater having its teeth set singly in rows disposed diagonally across the beater from the center toward the side portions thereof, substantially as described and shown.

8. In a beater of the class herein described, teeth rigidly secured to their supports and formed with fiat faces in the direction of the movement of the beater and beveled rearward from said faces, substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with the body and traveling floor, a floor-propelling wheel arranged at the front end of the body, and a spider or rimless idler at the rear end of the body to carry the aforesaid floor, substantially as described and shown.

10. In combination with the body, traveling floor, and beater, journal-boxes for said beatersupported yieldingly in their axialalignment, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In combination with the body, traveling floor, and heater, brackets secured to the body, and journal-boxes for the beater supported yieldingly in their axial alignment by pivots on the brackets engaging opposite sides of the boxes, substantially as described and shown.

12. In combination with the main drivingaxle, traveling floor, and driving-shaft of the latter, a worm-wheel on said shaft, a bevelgear on the main driving-axle, a counter-shaft extending from said axle part way toward the floor-driving shaft, a bevel-pinion on one end of the counter-shaft meshing in the bevel-gear on the main driving-axle, a cone of gears secured to the opposite end of the counter-shaft, a supplemental counter-shaft extending to the floor-driving shaft, a pinion detachably secured to the rear end of the supplemental eounter-shaft,"an intermediate gear for transmitting motion from the cone of gears to the aforesaid pinion and arranged interchangeably with said pinion, and a worm on the forward end of the supplemental counter-shaft engaging a worm-wheel on the floor-driving shaft, substantially as described and shown.

13. The combination, with the counter shaft 0, of the cone of gears 1 2 3, adapted to be shifted longitudinally on said shaft and pro vided with circumferential grooves 0 0 between the steps of the cones, the intermediate gear, 4, provided with the flange 0, adapted to enter the aforesaid grooves, the shaft 0, and the pinion 5, detachably connected to said latter shaft and provided with the flange 0, lapping over the side of the intermediate gear, 4, substantiall y as described and shown.

14. The combination of the shaft 0, square or angular in cross-section, the cone of gears 1 2 3, having a corresponding square or angular eye and adapted to slide longitudinally on said shaft and provided with the grooves 0 0, the intermediate gear, 4, provided with the flange 0, the shaft 0, square or angular in crosssection and provided with a screwthreaded end portion, the pinion 5, having a IIO corresponding eye and provided with the flange o", and the nut 12 on the end of the shaft 0, substantially as described and shown.

15. In combination with the main frame and 5 journal-boxes N N, secured thereto, the shaft 0, having an angular portion back of its journal-box, the cone of gears 1 2 3, having a corresponding eye and adapted to slide longitudinally on said shaft and provided with the grooves o o, the shaft 0', angularin cross-section, the pinion 5 and journal 6, provided with corresponding angular axial eyes, and said pinion provided with the flange o, the lever 7, hinged on said journal, and the intern1ediate gear, 4, pivoted on said lever between the pinion 5 and cone of gears and provided with the flange 0, all constructed and combined substantially in the manner specified and shown.

16. In combination with the traveling floor, its driving-shaft, and supplemental countershaft 0, the worm-wheel I and hand-crank j on said driving-shaft, the eccentric journalbox 9, carrying the shaft 0, and the worm 10,

secured to the latter shaft, substantially as described and shown. V

17. In a fertilizer-distributer, the vibratory comb G, composediof a bar supported transversely on the body, and flat spring-teeth rigidly affixed to said bar and disposed with their fiat sides in a plane parallel with the aforesaid bar, substantially as described and shown.

18. In a fertilizer-(listributer, the vibratory comb G, composed of the cross-bar 0, provided with a longitudinal slot, and the fiat springteeth t" t, secured flatwise in said slot, as shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, 0

this 18th day of March, 1887.

HARRY WATKINS. [L. s]

Witnesses:

H. P. DENISON, C. BENDIXON. 

